Extension - Sustainable Land Use
Coastal Processes

Shoreline erosion and bluff recession are the most significant Lake Erie coastal hazards. Erosion of beach materials and the undercutting of bluffs by wave attack lead to bluff instability. Slumping and mass wasting will likely result, with major property losses of land and structures. Erosion of the bluffs may be accelerated by groundwater seepage, surface water runoff, and human activity or changes in land use that would alter the hydrology or vegetation on a site.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant staff works with the PA Coastal Zone Management Program in support of its efforts to inform the public about the coastal hazards along the Lake Erie bluffs, including co-sponsoring workshops aimed at educating property owners, the general public, and contractors who specialize in bluff stabilization. In 2004, Pennsylvania Sea Grant staff facilitated the Bluff Revegetation Workshop sponsored by Mercyhurst College.

To learn more about coastal processes in Pennsylvania view the fact sheets Living on Pennsylvania's Lake Erie Coast and Pennsylvania's Bluff Recession and Setback Program, or contact Marti Martz.